Governance

Indspire is governed by a Board of Directors that has fiduciary responsibility over the corporation.

The Board is responsible for the stewardship of Indspire, including:

oversight of its programs and activities;

approving Indspire’s strategic direction; and

ensuring that management conducts the business and affairs of Indspire in accordance with its objectives, its Articles and By-laws, the law and regulations of the jurisdictions in which it operates, and any policies and guidelines issued by the Canada Revenue Agency in respect of charitable organizations.

In overseeing the above, the Board is responsible for governance, while the day-to-day operations are undertaken by Indspire’s management and staff under supervision of the Board.

By-Law

Board of Directors

David Gabriel Tuccaro is a member of the Mikisew Cree First Nation in Fort Chipewyan. He is president and CEO of five successful companies which create opportunities for Aboriginal people. Mr. Tuccaro has sat on the Board of the Regional Health Authority, the Alberta Chamber of Resources, the National Task Force on Aboriginal Development Financing, and contributed as a member of the National Task Force on Oil Sands Strategies.

He co-chaired the 2004 Arctic Winter Games Committee, and was active as a director of the Aboriginal People’s Television Network in its early development stages. Dave Tuccaro was instrumental in the formation of Northeast Alberta Aboriginal Business Association (NAABA) in 1994, and was the Founding President. Mr. Tuccaro received the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1999 in the field of Business and Commerce.

In April 1998, Mr. Tuccaro was honoured with his inclusion as one of Financial Post Magazine’s “Top 40 under 40”. Venture Magazine, also honoured him in their July/August 2000 issue, as one of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People.

Vice Chair Jean Teillet is a well-known Métis lawyer and advocate. She is a member of the Bar in British Columbia, and has been involved in treaty negotiations as well as numerous cases in Aboriginal law before the Supreme Court of Canada. She is a published author in several scholarly journals. Ms. Teillet is also the author of Métis Law in Canada. She speaks often in Canada and internationally about Aboriginal rights, identity and access to justice. Ms. Teillet is Senior Counsel to the law firm of Pape Salter Teillet LLP. In 2011, Ms. Teillet was made Indigenous Peoples Council by the Indigenous Bar Association of Canada and in 2012 she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her service to the community. She has three honorary doctorates: Guelph (2014); LSUC (2015); Windsor (2017). In 2018 she was awarded a Governor General’s Meritorious Service Cross. Ms. Teillet is the great grand niece of Louis Riel. She has been on the Indspire Board since 2006.

Darrell Beaulieu was born and raised in Yellowknife and has served three terms as the Chief of the Yellowknife’s Dene First Nation, whose traditional territory surrounds the capital area. In October 2005, Darrell was appointed President and CEO of Denendeh Investments Inc. by its Board of Directors, providing leadership, vision, and public presence for the organization. Prior to this, Darrell was the founding President of Deton’Cho Corporation and Deton’Cho Diamonds. He has been employed or self-employed in various aspects of mineral exploration in the Northwest Territories for many years, and has served on the boards of directors of both the Mine Training Society and NWT Chamber of Mines. At present, Darrell is on the Boards of Directors of the Northwest Territories Law Foundation and Northland Utilities (Yellowknife and NWT), and was appointed the Chair of the Northwest Territories Business Development Corporation by the Government of the Northwest Territories in 2005. He also serves as Chairman of the Akaitcho Business Development Corporation.

Michael Dan, OOnt, MD, PhD, FRCSC, MBA, PhD (Hon), is a philanthropist and social entrepreneur who works with First Nation communities to create sustainable wealth through hydroelectric power initiatives on traditional territories. Through his support of the MA Program in Peace and Conflict Management at The University of Haifa in Israel and of the work of Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, he has helped to build tolerance and dialogue in the Middle East. He is also a strong supporter of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the University of Toronto – Division of Neurosurgery, The Scarborough Hospital, and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. In 2002, Michael created The Paloma Foundation with a gift of $15 million. Over the years, the Foundation has donated over $8 million to charities in the Greater Toronto Area, with a special emphasis on health, education, and homelessness.

Clint Davis is the Partner and Managing Director of Acasta Capital Indigenous (ACI), an Indigenous-owned subsidiary company of Acasta Capital. ACI partners with Indigenous governments and economic development corporations to achieve growth and value creation by assisting in the maximization of their inherent competitive advantage. Prior to the creation of this company, Clint was the Vice President of Indigenous Banking at TD.
Clint, an Inuk from Labrador, is the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Nunatsiavut Group of Companies, which is the economic arm of Nunatsiavut Government, a self-governing entity that represents the political, social and economic interests of the Inuit of Labrador. Under Clint’s leadership, NGC has grown to owning and partnering in fourteen operating companies with general revenue of over $35 million annually.
Clint has a diverse professional background. He began his career as a lawyer in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, but later entered public service at the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Upon leaving government, he moved to BMO where he worked as the National Director for Aboriginal Banking, then later joined the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, a chamber of commerce for Indigenous business, as President and CEO.
In 2016, Clint received the Indspire Award for Business and Commerce which represents the highest honour the Indigenous community bestows upon its achievers. He was also recognized by his alma mater Acadia University as a Distinguished Alumni. He is on the Board of Directors for Indspire, is the Co-Chair of the Fundraising Committee for the creation of the Labrador Wellness Centre in his hometown of Goose Bay and he was recently named as one of two Canadian representatives to the Arctic Economic Council.
Clint has a Bachelors of Business Administration from Acadia University, a Bachelors of Laws from Dalhousie University and a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University. He is a Canada-U.S. Fulbright scholar and the recipient of multiple scholarships including two awards from the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (now Indspire) as well as the Fred C. Manning Entrance Scholarship at Acadia University.

James Dekker is a member of the Pine Creek First Nation in Manitoba and currently works as an HR Business Partner with HSBC Bank Canada, with subject matter expertise in organizational development, talent management and learning. James is interested in the ways in which the private sector can incorporate reconciliation objectives into their business planning, and has been responsible for leading new innovations in diversity and Indigenous recruitment in both the public and private sectors. James has been recognized with a Public Service Award of Excellence in the category of Employment Equity & Diversity during his time working in the federal government. James has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a major in Human Resources Management. James is a member of the Company of Young Professionals (CYP) through the Vancouver Board of Trade and holds his Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation through the BC Human Resources Management Association. James also sits on the Board of the Ch’nook Indigenous Business Education program at UBC.

Joseph F. Dion, from the Kehewin Cree Nation in Alberta, is the current President of the Frog Lake Energy Resources Corporation (FLERC). FLERC is wholly owned by the Frog Lake First Nation in a joint venture with Twin Butte Energy Ltd. and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. that has grown steadily since incorporation in 2003.

Mr. Dion is credited as the founder of Dion Resources Inc., which networks in the areas of oil and gas development, wind power, forestry development, international finance and a variety of other business developments. He is also the founding Chairman and President of the Indian Resource Council of Canada and a founding member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB).

For his work in preserving spiritual and cultural ways while working towards a sustainable economic future for his people, Mr. Dion received the 2011 National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Business & Commerce.

Fauna Kingdon is a Manitoba Métis, raised in Iqaluit, Nunavut and now resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 2006, Ms. Kingdon obtained her Bachelor of Commerce (Hon.) degree from the University of Manitoba. She then received her Master of Professional Accounting degree from the University of Saskatchewan. In September 2009, Fauna received her Chartered Accountant designation. She also received the James W. Clarke Award and the Great West Life Leadership Award from the Manitoba Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Ms. Kingdon was the only Indigenous Chartered Accountant in the 2009 graduating class. Ms. Kingdon received a Queen’s Jubilee Medal and Canada Day Youth Award while also being named both a National Métis Youth Model and a National Aboriginal Youth Role Model.

Ms. Kingdon is also the 2005 recipient of the prestigious National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the Youth category and was named the 2006 YMCA/YWCA Young Woman of Distinction. Ms. Kingdon is currently the Controller at Tribal Councils Investment Group, an Indigenous owned Canadian Investment Company.

For the past ten years Jean LaRose has been the Chief Executive Officer for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, the first national Aboriginal broadcaster in the world, with programming by, for and about Aboriginal Peoples. Since joining the network he has established it on a strong financial position for long-term growth.

He has moved the network to a full high-definition platform, and now employs 170 people and provides production opportunities for over 80 Aboriginal producers and production companies in Canada.

He established APTN service in eastern, western and northern communities, became a founding member of the new World Indigenous Television Broadcasters Network (WITBN), and as partner of 2010 Olympics led the first ever broadcast in eight different Aboriginal languages, 14 hours per day.

In 2011 he received the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in Media & Communications.

Yvan Guy Larocque, CD, BA, JD, is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation, from Sainte-Anne, MB. He studied Economics at the University of Manitoba, and obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Economics) in 2011. Mr. Larocque is an alumnus of the Program of Legal Studies for Native People at the University of Saskatchewan (2013), and a graduate of the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia (2016). He received his Juris Doctor degree as part of the Allard School of Law’s Indigenous Legal Studies Program, with a Business Law Concentration and a Specialization in Aboriginal Law.

Mr. Larocque was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 2017 and works at the law firm Miller Titerle + Company in Vancouver, BC. He practices in the field of First Nations Economic Development, working with various Indigenous communities on economic development and Indigenous governance.

Mr. Larocque has worked in the non-profit sector as the Administrator for the Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society (PLEO) and the Artists’ Legal Outreach and Education Society (ALO). He has also been a member of the Canadian Armed Forces (Petty Officer 2nd Class) since 2002 and has served in both the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force (in the Regular and Reserve forces).

Peter Lukasiewicz is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP. He also serves as a member of Gowling WLG’s global board.

In these roles, Peter is responsible for guiding the firm’s Canadian and international strategies, and championing Gowling WLG’s core belief that the best way to serve clients is to be in tune with their world, aligned with their opportunity and ambitious for their success.

Peter previously served as the firm’s external managing partner, with primary responsibility for client relationships. He also served as managing partner of the Toronto office for 15 years.

Prior to becoming CEO, Peter practised as a senior commercial litigator, counselling and representing domestic and global clients in a wide range of complex commercial disputes. He has been repeatedly recognized as one of Canada’s leading commercial litigators by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and The Best Lawyers in Canada.

Peter is actively involved in his community. He is a member of the board of directors of Indspire, an Indigenous-led charity that invests in the education of First Nation, Inuit and Métis students across Canada. In 2014-15, he was president of The Advocates’ Society, Canada’s premier organization for advocates, having served on its board for the previous eight years. From 2006 to 2010, he chaired Ryerson University’s board of governors.

In recognition of his community service, Peter was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.

Hilary Pearson is President of Philanthropic Foundations Canada, a national network of family, independent and corporate grantmakers in Canada, representing many of the largest private charitable foundations in the country. Since 2001, when she was appointed President, she has grown the organization to become a significant voice in Canadian organized philanthropy. She has a background in all three sectors, with positions in central agencies of the Government of Canada from 1981 to 1993, an executive role at the Royal Bank of Canada from 1993 to 1996 and a senior consultant at the Montreal strategy consulting firm Secor from 1993 to 2001. Ms. Pearson has a particular interest in nonprofit governance, and has served on several national non-profit boards of directors, including those of Imagine Canada, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada, CARE Canada and Indspire. She also chairs the Advisory Body of the Coady Institute at St Francis Xavier University. She holds a BA and MA from the University of Toronto, and honourary doctorates from Carleton University and the University of New Brunswick.

Gordon R. Peeling has over 40 years of experience in the public and private sectors in mining. He retired from the Mining Association of Canada in May 2011 after 13 and a half years as President and CEO.

He continues to remain active in the industry as a Director of Great Quest Fertilizer Ltd. and as a Senior Advisor to the Natural Resource Practice of Proudfoot (a Global Operations Consultancy). In addition, he runs his own consultancy on responsible resource management practices. Mr. Peeling has a B.Sc. in Geology from Queen’s University and an M.Sc. (Geology) and a B.A. (Economics) from Carleton University. He is a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the CIM’s Syncrude Award for Excellence in Sustainable Development.

Wm. (Bill) Shead is a member of the Peguis First Nation. A graduate of Dalhousie University and the Canadian Forces Staff College, Lieutenant-Commander (Ret’d) Bill Shead, CD served 36 years in the Canadian Navy. In 1975 he was seconded to head the Office of Native Employment to increase the participation of Aboriginal people in the Public Service of Canada.

Later serving as Mayor of Selkirk, Manitoba from 1980 to 1983; Prairie Regional Director General for Veterans Affairs from 1986 to 1992; and Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Centre of Winnipeg from 1993 to 1996; Mr. Shead is currently the Chair of the Aboriginal Centre of Winnipeg and Vice-Chair of the Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development.

After a distinguished 28-year career with Hewlett-Packard, a leading global technology solutions provider, in June, 2012, Paul decided to take an early retirement from operational leadership, enabling him to expand his work as a seasoned board director.

Tsaparis was appointed Hewlett-Packard’s (HP) Vice-President of Technology Support, Americas in March 2010. He led the Americas organization to maximize support services on all HP products, create differentiated support offerings and help the company deliver a superior client experience. Paul also developed and implemented end-to-end, best-in-class programs through HP’s channel partner network, optimizing market penetration and high-value service delivery.

Before taking on the Americas leadership role, he was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Co. from September 1998 to April 2010, assuming leadership for all aspects of the company’s operations in Canada, adding distinctive value to the customers, partners and communities it served, Tsaparis joined HP in 1984 and has held progressively senior appointments including Telecommunications General Manager, General Manager for HP Consulting and, prior to his CEO appointment, Vice-President, Computer Organization. He also worked and studied internationally, attending the Co-operative Japanese and Business Society Program in Tokyo with the Council of International Educational Exchange.

Paul’s board service work and community leadership has been wide-ranging. He is Past Chair of the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) and Past Chair of the ITAC Board of Governors, Paul is currently a board member of Teranet Inc., Humber River Hospital, Greenwood College School, Indspire, formerly the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, a past member of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, past Chair of Third Brigade, a security software company and past director of AcuityAds(TSXV). He is a member of the WPO/YPO and Dean’s Advisory Council of the Schulich School of Business at York University, where he was honoured in 2004 with an alumni award for his contributions to the School, and is also a member of the York University Board of Governors. In January, 2013, Paul was appointed, ‘Executive-in-Residence’ at the Schulich School of Business.

He holds an MBA from York University in Toronto and an undergraduate degree in science and economics from the University of Toronto. In addition, Paul was honoured in the University of Toronto’s 175th Anniversary ‘Great Minds for a Great Future’ Campaign as one of 100 people recognized with this special distinction. He is a past recipient of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Award – a national program that honours Canadians under the age of 40 who have achieved a significant level of success and a 2013 recipient of Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, honouring significant achievements and contributions of Canadians.

Donald E. Worme, QC, I.P.C., is a Cree lawyer from the Kawacatoose First Nation, Treaty 4, who practices extensively in criminal law and Indigenous rights litigation. Growing up, he received teachings of Cree philosophies, traditions, and spirituality from his grandfather, including the history of Treaty 4. With a view to making things better for First Nation people, he received his Bachelor of Laws Degree at the University of Saskatchewan in 1985. Donald’s legal practice has been focused primarily on promoting and protecting both the collective and individual rights of Indigenous people in numerous legal and public forums. Donald is a founding member of the Indigenous Bar Association in Canada. In 2009, Donald was appointed Chief Counsel for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with its mandate to spread awareness of the social impact of Residential Schools across Canada. He was selected in 2008 as one of the University of Saskatchewan’s 100 Alumni of Influence and received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 2010 for his outstanding achievement in the field of Law and Justice.